AcademyU18s match report: Liverpool 1-2 Manchester City

The forward struck from a Kyle Kelly assist with 15 minutes left to offer hope that a much-changed young Reds side could collect something from a game that had looked to be drifting away.

But, despite some pressure and decent situations, the visitors saw out the match to collect the points.

The first half was a game of relatively few chances but it was Liverpool’s Kornel Misciur who was the slightly busier goalkeeper.

He was called into action as early as the third minute as he leapt to push away a free-kick from Divine Mukasa on the City right.

It was a set-piece that gave the home side their first opportunity of the match as well, captain Kieran Morrison bringing a good save from Spike Brits from 25 yards out on 17 minutes, with Josh Sonni-Lambie also finding the goalkeeper with his follow-up.

City were finding space on their right with Farid Alfa-Ruprecht hammering a cross-shot into the near post that Misciur gathered well, while Seb Naylor tried his luck on the other side of the box, cutting in but again finding only Misciur with his shot.

The opening goal arrived on 37 minutes when Kelly’s pass near his own box unfortunately found only Alfa-Ruprecht, who swiftly played in Luca Fletcher to beat Misciur with a low drive.

City almost returned the favour seconds later, goalkeeper Brits having his clearance charged down by the lively Morrison but the bounce was lucky for the visitors.

Another loose pass from the Reds, this time from Francis Gyimah, almost gave City a second before the break but Misciur saved well from Alfa-Ruprecht.

The young Reds needed a response but started the second half slowly, City’s Christian Dunbar-McDonald hitting the post as he tried to place an effort into the corner.

Several dangerous balls flew across the Liverpool box before the second arrived on 53 minutes, a ball over the top gathered by Alfa-Ruprecht and centred for Fletcher to score his second, despite Misciur getting a hand on it.

Morrison’s runs continued to offer hope of a recovery but City had threat of their own, with Gyimah needing to clear from under his own crossbar after the overlapping Naylor put in another cross.

Substitute Tyler Martin had only just arrived from the bench on 73 minutes when he had a huge opportunity to get Liverpool back into the contest.

Kaden Braithwaite slipped in the City defence, allowing Martin a clear shot at goal, but the effort was saved by Brits.

Two minutes later, however, it was definitely game on as Liverpool reduced the deficit, Kelly’s perfect low cross from the left slotted home by Ahmed.

An exciting last 15 minutes looked in store and Morrison started it well, firing a superb free-kick into the box from the right wing but it just missed the back post.

Liverpool finished the stronger team but ran out of time to find a leveller as the two Fletcher goals proved decisive.

TEAM

Misciur, Airoboma, Gyimah, Enahoro-Marcus, Evers (Cowley, 89), K. Kelly, Morrison, Pennington (Martin, 73), Figueroa (Onanuga, 58), Sonni-Lambie (Lonmeni, 73), Ahmed.

Unused sub: Morana.

NEXT UP

Liverpool U18s’ next league fixture is a trip to Middlesbrough on Saturday March 9.

The young Reds’ FA Youth Cup quarter-final versus Leeds United is scheduled to be played by that date.